Famous Named Horses and Horse Types From Mythology By Katherine Blocksdorf Updated April 03, 2016. When I was much younger I used to love to spend hot summer days reading my book of Greek mythology. Horses belonging to heros, magical horses and part-horse, part other-creatures were favorite amongst the stories. Horses have always captivated our imaginations and have become woven into many legends and myths. Here are just seven of the many horses and horse-like creatures that can be found in the mythologies of almost every civilization. Image:eschu1952/ 1. Pegasus One of the most well known mythological horses is Pegasus . Winged horses have been used to symbolize freedom , power and victory in many different cultures. Pegasus is an immortal winged horse of Greek mythology. Pegasus is said to have sprung from the head or body, depending on what version of the myth you read, of Medusa , a mythical Gorgon sister with hair of snakes and a stare that could turn a man to stone.

Medusa's head was lopped off by Perseus , a greek hero who was challenged by a rival suitor to bring back Medusa's head, a ploy intended to keep him out of the way while his rival won his lady. Thanks to some tools and trickery supplied by a sympathetic God and Goddess, Perseus was successful in his quest. Along with Pegasus was 'born' a warrior, Chrysaor who arrived riding Pegasus and carrying a golden sword and is regarded as his brother. We don't seem to know much abour Chrysoar, and the relationship between the brothers. Perseus himself was the first to ride Pegasus in a heroic quest. Bellerophon, a rather vain young man also desired to ride Pegasus but did not know how to capture him. He was told to sleep in a temple to gain guidance, and dreamed he was presented with a golden bridle. When he awoke the bridle was beside him. He used the bridle to capture Pegasus while the winged horse drank at a fountain. Then Bellerophon is said to have ridden Pegasus into a battle against a fire-breathing Chimera.

Then, unwisely, Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasus to the top of Mount Olympus , the home of the gods. But this displeased Zeus with whom Bellerophon had fallen out of favor, and he sent an insect to to sting Pegasus and make him buck. Bellerphon fell to the earth. Pegasus continued his flight to the top of Mount Olympus where the gods welcomed him and gave him the job of carrying thunderbolts. Today, Pegasus can still be seen as a constellation in his place of honor in the spring sky. If you are lucky enough to find a Pegasus of your own, I would suggest paying close attention to saddle fit as the wings make if difficult to put a modern English or western style saddle on it. Riding bareback may be your best bet. Because your winged horse will carry you much higher in the sky than a regular horse be sure to wear both an ASTM approved helmet and a parachute . Unicorn on hilltop. Image Credit:Lucy von HeldééDe Agostini RM /Getty Images 2. Unicorn Another well known mythical horse-like creature is the unicorn . The unicorn is most often described as a beautiful mythical horse with a single horn in its forehead.

They are sometimes depicted as having cloven hooves like a goat or deer. The can come in almost every color, although are most often depicted as being white. The tail or mane hairs, blood, hooves or horns of unicorns are often used in magical or medicinal potions and Harry Potter's wand had a core made of a strand of unicorn tail hair. They are sometimes attributed with having healing or purifying powers. Unicorns are often seen on Medieval style tapestries and are often seen as a heraldic symbol on coats of arms. Unicorns are said to only appear to, or may be captured by women of pure virtue. Over the centuries, many ancient societies were convinced of the unicorn's existence. They are mentioned in many very ancient texts including the bible. Because of this, there is speculation that unicorns did exist. Some people think they were actually single-horned goats, as there are some skeletal remains that could support this. A cross between a unicorn and a Pegasus is called a pegacorn or a unipeg. Should you be lucky enough to catch and tame a Pegasus be aware that while grooming , extra care should be taken to polish its horn.

Talk to your farrier about the best way to protect its cloven hooves—either with custom shoes or perhaps hoof boots . While cattle often chew away a regular horse's tail , you may find you have to curtail wizards who will want to steal tail hairs for their wands and potions. Hippogriff (12th century), Ferrara Cathedral, Ferrara (Unesco World Heritage List, 1995), Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Image Credit:De Agostini RM /Getty Images 3. Hippogriff Another magical horse-like creature that we, or at least the fans of Harry Potter will be familiar with is the Hippogriff . The Hippogriff predates the Harry Potter books by a few centuries. It is said to have the head, talons and wings of an eagle with the body of the horse. Legend has it that a wizard bred a mare to an eagle and the result was the Hippogriff. They were used as beasts of burden, much like horses were. The Hippogrif appears in several video games and you can download the Hippogriff Cookbook , which offers many recipes for cooking the mythical beast, (including instructions for more common substitutes such as beef or chicken).

Like the Pegasus you may find the Hipogriff needs special saddle fitting considerations . Judging from the Hippogriff's temperament in the Harry Potter movies, I would suggest keeping that there is a Hippogiff cookbook a secret. Obviously, there is a need for more natural Hippogriffmanship. Image showing both of Andy Scott's Kelpies around sunset in November 2013. Image Credit:Moment /Kit Downey Photography /Getty Images 4. Kelpies If you watched the movie 'The Water Horse' you'll already know that a kelpie is a mythical horse-like creature that lives in rivers and lakes. From Celtic legend is often described as sturdy pony, white or black in color. They are tricksters, luring unsuspecting people into the water where it eats them. Similar horse-like creatures appear in many different mythologies around the world. Kelpies also appeared as menacing shape-shifters in the Harry Potter stories. If you should happen to own a Kelpie, the first thing you should do is establish ground manners . While riding one on trail is fine, take great caution when near water. In fact, it might be advisable to dismount to avoid having the Kelpie pull you under.

View of a 32-cent postage stamp, issued in 1995 in the United States, that features an illustration of the fictional folkloric character of Pecos Bill, 1995. Image Credit: Blank Archives /Getty Images 5. Widow Maker Widow Maker's real name was Lightening. Peco Bill is an American legend, an amalgam of many tall tales that had their beginnings around campfires of the old west. He was so named because he could be ridden by no one else but Peco's Bill himself. He so disliked Peco Bill's bride that he bucked her off, resulting in the end of the couple's relationship. This emphasises the need to learn to fall off as safely as possible and of course the need to always wear a helmet because the bucking resulted in the rider hitting her head on the moon. Widow Maker's favorite food was said to be dynamite. Needless to say dynamite should be on the list of what not to feed a horse .

Alexander Great taming Bucephalus, 1516-1517, fresco by Giovanni Antonio Bazzi known as Il Sodoma (1477-1549), Agostino Chigi's wedding chamber, Villa Farnesina, Rome, Italy, 16th century. Image Credit: Credit: DEA / A. DE GREGORIO/Getty Images 6. Bucephalus The name Bucephalus means 'head of a bull (or ox)'. It's not clear whether a marking such as a star or blaze on the horse's face looked like a bull, or if the horse had a very large wide head or was bullish in attitude. Bucephalus was tamed by a twelve year old , who showed an impressive display of natural horsemanship. The youngster, who would later be known as Alexander the Great, rode the horse in many battles and when the horse died, he named a city after it. Viking stele from Tjängvide, Alskog, Gotland, Sweden, showing Sleipnir, Odin's horse, the offspring of his brother Loki. From the Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm.

Image Credit:CM Dixon/Print Collector/ /Getty Images 7. Sleipnir If you think that keeping four hooves healthy can be difficult be glad you don't own Sleipnir. Sleipnir has eight hooves. The mount of the Norse god Odin, Sleipnir was a heroic horse who was swift, sure footed and could jump anything. Odin and Sleipner may have been the precursors to the modern tale of Santa Claus and his flying reindeer. Pegasus | MythOrTruth.Com - Mythical Creatures, Beasts and Facts associated with them. Pegasus 0 comments Pegasus is the beautiful flying horse of mythology. Pegasus was a white horse with wings, sometimes depicted as a unicorn, a single, spiraling horn that protruded from the forehead of Pegasus; on the other hand, most depictions of Pegasus did not show the horse as a unicorn. Pegasus The Origins of Pegasus As mentioned, Pegasus wan a creature of mythology, meaning that Pegasus never existed; it was a creature of Greek stories. Pegasus has shown up in Greek mythology for well over two thousand years.

The History of Pegasus According t mythology Pegasus was a son of Poseidon, the earth god, and Medusa, whom at the time was a beautiful maiden. Greek mythology states that Poseidon loved Medusa and took her to the temple of Athena were he seduced her. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom. This infuriated Athena and she decided to take her anger out on the beautiful young Medusa. The revenge that Athena put upon Medusa was to turn her into a Gorgon; Gorgons were disgusting immortal women which had snakes for hair. Any human that was to look upon a Gorgonturned into a statue of stone. Medusa Although Gorgons were immortal, Medusa was not immortal because she was not born a Gorgon. If not for the fact that Medusa could be killed, Pegasus would not have ever been born. The Birth of Pegasus The birth of Pegasus came about because of the death of Medusa; let us look at the historical details about the birth of Pegasus. This part of the story begins with a king and his love for a young woman, the King was Polydetes, and the woman was Danae.

Danae had a son whose name was Perseus. Although King Polydetes was in love with Danae and wanted to marry her, the feelings were not mutual. Danae refused to marry the king, and Perseus tried to protect his mother from the king, unfortunately, he had little success. In order to get Perseus out of the picture the king sent Perseus on a quest. The king made a bargain with Perseus, if he would bring him the head of a Gorgon he would allow Danae to marry whom she wished. Of course the king thought that Perseus would never return because he assumed that a Gorgon could not be killed. Poseidon Of course, Perseus agreed to the conditions of the deal without any hesitation. The first step that Perseus took was to seek the advice of Athena. Athena was very helpful to Perseus, and equipped him with everything that he needed to successfully complete his mission. Athena told Perseus that there was a Gorgon that could be killed, which was Medusa.

Secondly, Athena gave Perseus magical shoes, and a shield that was polished to a high sheen making the shield as reflective as a mirror. Perseus had the shoes take him to the lands of the Gorgons were he could find Medusa. He then found Medusa and attacked her using the shield. He watched the reflection of Medusa in the mirror, this kept him from looking directly at the Gorgon, and thus he did not become turned to stone. He then used his sword to cut off Medusa’s head. From this point, the myth has several separate storiesabout the exact birth of Pegasus. In one story, Pegasus was born, fully grown from the blood that spilled from the neck of Medusa. Another story states that Pegasus was not formed until the blood of Medusa mixed with seafoam. Perseus Another version of the story states Pegasus was born when the blood of Medusa combined with the dirt at her feet. Most historians and experts on Greek mythology believe that last method was the truest method of how Pegasus was born. They believe in this story because that Poseidon, along with being the god of the sea, was also the earth god.

Another point is that since Poseidon’s love for Medusa began the story, it only made sense that he had something to do with the creation of Pegasus. What Happened Once Pegasus was Born? After Pegasus was born, he flew to the top of Mt. Helicon where he landed. Greek mythology then states that the slightest touch of the creature’s hooves made springs; one of the springs is the famous Hippocrene, or horse, spring. Greek mythology also puts another resident on mount Helicon, mount Helicon was also known as the home of the muses. Pegasus’s connection with mount Helicon is what has made Pegasus such an interesting subject for many authors down through the ages. The Weakness of Pegasus Although Pegasus was a mighty creature that was as strong as he was beautiful, his weakness was that with the right knowledge someone could capture and ride Pegasus. For instance, Pegasus was captured and ridden by Bellerophon, a grandson of Sisyphus. Bellerophon was an amazing warrior best known for slaying the Chimaera. Pegasus and Bellerophon Bellerophon rode Pegasus during his mission to kill the Chimaera.

Proteus, the son of king Lobates, was the one that sent Bellerophon on the mission to kill the Chimaera. As with many stories in Greek Mythology, love of a woman was a central theme of this mission as well. Proteus thought that Bellerophon was in love with his wife, so to get rid of Bellerophon, Proteus sent him to kill the Chimaera. Bellerophon accepted the quest and his first step was to go seek advice from the wisest man he knew, Polyeidos. Polyeidos told Bellerophon to sleep within the walls of Athena’s temple. While he was sleeping Athena came to Bellerophon, and she told him to catch the winged horse. She said Pegasus could found at the spring of Pierian. Athena left Bellerophon a magic bridle that would allow Bellerophon to ride Pegasus. Athena Bellerophon needed his companion complete his mission, without Pegasus, the mission would have been impossible. Once Proteus saw how easily the pair completed the mission, he sent the two on many other missions.

He did this for two reasons; the main reason was that his wife was falling further in love with Bellerophon. In the process, he cleared the world of many menacing beast. Although Proteus sent Bellerophon and Pegasus on many missions, hoping they would be killed, but that never happened. The pair lived through all of their adventures and seemed to be invincible. With all of his many victories under his belt king Lobates concluded that the God’s must favor Bellerophon. For this reason, he offered his daughter to Bellerophon in marriage, which would have made Bellerophon the heir to the throne of King Lobates. As happens with many men, all of his success went to Bellerophon’s head, and king Lobates offer did not please Bellerophon, he desired the life of a god. Bellerophon’s next move was to attempt to fly Pegasus to the top of Mt. Olympus. This did not set well with Zeus so he sent a fly to harrass Pegasus. When the fly bit Pegasus, the great horse jumped which caused Bellerophon to crash to the earth below. Instead of having the life of a god, Bellerophon became blind and crippled.

Bellerophon, Riding Pegasus, Slaying the Chimaera Pegasus after Bellerophone Zeus did not punish Pegasus; in fact, Zeus honored the flying horse. Zeus gave Pegasus the honor of carrying his thunderbolts. Later Pegasus mated with Euippe, and the two had offspring. The children of Pegasus and Euippe were Celeris and Melanippe, from this family came all other winged horses. Because Pegasus was a mortal creature, for this reason Zeus gave the great winged horse one last honor on the last day of his life. On that day Zeus changed Pegasus into a beautiful constellation where everyone on the planet can see him flying across the heavens today. Pegasus the Winged Horse ~ The Tale of Pegasus and Bellerophon | Icewolves of Europa Pegasus the Winged Horse of Myth and Legend Pegasus and Bellerophon There are many amazing horses to be found in the realms of fantasia and mythology. However it would be hard to find one as mysteriously majestic as the mighty winged horse Pegasus. One of the most famous myths in Greek Mythology he is a creature to be found on numerous occasions both in works of art and in poetry.

Stunning battle horses the Pegasi were amazing creatures, prized for their speed and eroticity and a fantastic sight to behold awesome both in flight and when resting with beautiful and mysterious wings stretching skywards and spreading as if to capture the air currents, jumpy and edgy as they readied for flight. Greek Mythology – Pegasus and Bellerophon The Flight to Olympus – Home of the Gods Pegasus was the son of Perseus (in some versions, the sea god, Poseidon) and Medusa, the Queen of the Gorgons. The beautiful winged horse was born from the spilled blood of Medusa, when a fight between her and Perseus broke out, resulting in Perseus severing Medusa’s head, causing droplets of her blood to land in the sea. Frothing, white sea foam mingled with the blood-red droplets and so Pegasus was born gaining from the sea foam, his stunning white colour. From the same blood droplets shed by Medusa Pegasus’s brother was born. Named Chrysaor he was described as a winged Boar. Both creatures were born in adult form.

Following his capture and taming at the hands of the goddess Athena, Pegasus was presented to the Muses at Mount Parnassus, where he provided help and assistance to the poets. It is said in legend that whenever Pegasus struck the ground with his hoof, a beautiful spring burst into life there. One such spring, at Perseus’s command, appeared on a mountain of the Muses’. Known as Mount Helicon, the Hippocrene meaning "horse spring", it was intended to regulate the growth of the mountain. Likewise at the strike of Pegasus’s hoof another spring burst into life at Troezen. The Flight To Mount Olympus – Home Of The Gods As the conquests of Bellerophon a Greek Corinthian hero and monster slayer grew he became ambitious, and was soon determined to seek out the gods on Mt. Olympus. Hearing tales of the winged horse, he set out to track Pegasus down. Bellerophon was instructed by Polyeidos to sleep in the temple of Athena, where the goddess visited him in the night and presented him with a golden bridle. He awoke next morning, bridle in hand to discover, Pegasus who was drinking at the Pierian spring.

On seeing the magical bridle, he approached Bellerophon and allowed him to ride. His remarkable speed was a of major assistance to Bellerophon who at various points along the way rode Pegasus into battle against both the Amazons and the Chimera, a creature that breathed fire, had a lion’s mane and head, with a goat’s head rising out of its back. It also had the udders of a goat and a serpent’s tail. Bellerophon and Pegasus rode into and survived many battles and in time Bellerophon came to believe he was a son of a god. Driven by this wrongful assumption he set off to try to ride his flying horse Pegasus Mt. Olympus’s highest peak to meet with the Gods as was his ambition. Zeus was highly displeased when he learned of this audacity and sent a horsefly to bite the Pegasus’s hindquarters. In great pain Pegasus reared up, throwing Bellerophon from his back, causing him to tumble helplessly to the earth below. Some say that wise as Pegasus was he knew what awaited Bellerophon at the hands of the gods and consequently deliberately bucked him off.

Pegasus continued alone on his journey until he arrived in Olympus where he found shelter and safety on the sacred mountain. In return he transported the thunderbolts that Cyclops forged for Zeus and was ridden by Eos, the goddess of dawn. Pegasus was allowed to roam freely on Mount Olympus, wandering happily amongst the meadows and springs and mountains. In later life Pegasus mated with Euippe (or Ocyrrhoe) and so, it is said, Celeris and Melanippe were conceived, forming the constellation Equeus. On the last day of his life as reward for his faithful service, Zeus immortalized the winged horse by transforming him into a night sky constellation. As he did so it was said that a single feather fell to the earth near the city of Tarsus. Modern Day Pegasi In modern terminology, the word "Pegasus" (plural "pegasusses" or "pegasi") has come to refer to any winged horse, though the term "pterippus" (meaning winged horse, plural "pterippi") is also used. Part of the horse zebra and unicorn family the Pegasi is the only creature in it’s genus.

How they became so spectacularly winged is a mystery that remains to this day. Although they are native to the Balklands they are now extinct in that region. The only ones that remain and have survived exist far away on their grazing grounds in the highest peaks of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. Living in herds and rearing foals in the same fashion as normal horses the Pegasi are now studied by cryptozoologists. Pegasi stallions are larger than thoroughbreds and more often than not boast coats of shimmering white, though they can be varying shades of browns through to pure star black. They compete for up to 5 mares and fight for dominance during the mating season. The Pegasi’s most striking feature, is their huge wings, which can on larger stallions span as wide as 7.3m+. Bulges of muscles around the area of their withers, shoulders and rib cage are the point at which their flight muscles attach to their breast bone. Pegasi foals do not develop their flying skills until they are around 6 months old although they learn the skill of walking practically from birth.

The first few weeks of life are also utilised with wings flexing and development of muscles necessary for flight, in the same way as young birds would. Pegasus – The Constellation The constellation of Pegasus is home to several galaxies and even a bright globular cluster. It is one of the very first of the 48 constellations to be listed, in the 2nd century by the well-known astronomer Ptolemy. It remains one of the 88 constellations that we see today shining brightly in the Northern sky. In 1995 a planet at least half the size of Jupiter was discovered orbiting the star 51 Pegasus, which is about 40 light-years from the earth; this marked the first time a planet was detected orbiting a sun like star outside the solar system. Mythology Phaethon; Pegasus and Bellerophon Summary and Analysis | GradeSaver Buy Study Guide Phaethon , a young man, travels to the Palace of the Sun to meet Apollo and find out if the sun god is in fact his father. Apollo says he is.

To prove it, he will give Phaethon anything he wants, swearing by the River Styx that he will grant Phaethon his wildest dream. The boy's dream is to ride Apollo's chariot. Although his father warns him that no god (let alone a human) can control the horses and safely ride the chariot across the sky, Phaethon will not listen. Apollo seems to have no choice but to let his son drive the chariot and watch as the horses run recklessly through the sky, crashing into stars and even setting the earth on fire. To prevent the entire planet from burning, Zeus sends a thunderbolt which kills Phaethon and drives the horses into the sea. ... In the city of Corinth, Glaucus is King. But the gods dislike him because he feeds his horses human flesh. Eventually the gods throw him from his chariot and have his horses eat him. It is thought that Glaucus's son is a beautiful young man named Bellerophon , but it is also rumored that the boy's father is Poseidon. More than anything, Bellerophon wants to ride Pegasus , a winged horse, so he goes to Athena's temple to pray.

Athena comes to him in a dream and gives him a golden bridle which, she says, will tame the horse. It does, and Pegasus becomes Bellerophon's loyal beast. Later, Bellerophon kills his brother entirely by accident. He goes to King Proteus for purification, which the king grants. But Bellerophon's situation becomes complicated when the king's wife takes an interest in him. Bellerophon denies the queen's advances, but the evil woman tells her husband that the boy has wronged her and must die. Proteus does not want to kill Bellerophon personally because the boy has eaten at his table, so instead he asks the boy to deliver a letter to the Lycian king. On the back of Pegasus, Bellerophon travels easily, meets the Lycian king, and stays with him for nine wonderful days. When the king opens his letter, it has clear instructions to kill Bellerophon. But like Proteus, the Lycian king does not want to offend Zeus by acting violently towards a guest, so instead he sends Bellerophon on an impossible journey to kill a monster, Chimaera .

With the help of Pegasus, however, Bellerophon kills the beast with no harm to himself. He returns to Proteus, and Proteus sends him on many more challenging adventures. Eventually, the victorious Bellerophon wins Proteus's respect, and the king even gives the man his daughter's hand in marriage. Unfortunately, Bellerophon loses favor with the gods when he attempts to become more than human and take a place on Mount Olympus. When he tries to take the journey up to the gods’ kingdom, Pegasus throws Bellerophon off his back. Bellerophon wanders alone, "devouring his own soul," until he dies. Pegasus becomes Zeus's favorite animal, residing in the stalls of Mount Olympus and bringing thunder and lightning to him. Analysis The tragic tale about Phaethon and his father perfectly explicates the dynamic between elders and youth. Apollo wants to do right by his son, but in meeting his son’s heart’s desire, he becomes the agent of his son’s tragic death. He becomes helpless in the face of his son's brazen confidence.

The myth teaches sons to be humble and reminds fathers that when they send their sons out into the world, it is normal to fear great dangers that their sons must face on their own. The instability caused by the deal between father and son ultimately requires the intervention of Zeus. It is interesting that in this myth and in that of Bellerophon, there is a question about which son belongs to which father. This is a question that often is of interest to human beings, who cannot always be sure who is the father of a child. By what evidence can a father prove that he really is the father? Once again, Zeus is associated with a natural element, the thunderbolt. In this story, the association of Zeus's power with lightning is quite clear--what natural element is more powerful than lightning? As in other stories, Zeus acts as an authority who must maintain order when no one else can. His decision to kill the young man reveals the god's rational mindset and priorities. Wildly courageous and headstrong, Bellerophon is a complex hero. He seems to be close to godlike status, but Zeus puts him in his place at the end of the tale. As for Pegasus, it is a horse above horses. They are a good match.

In both cases, they raise the recurring question of what separates humans from gods. The Greek heroes, such as Bellerophon, often achieve a status somewhere in between. Heroism clearly plays a role in the tale, as Bellerophon defeats Chimaera and performs seemingly impossible tasks. But unlike Hercules , Theseus , or Odysseus, Bellerophon loses favor with the gods at the end of the tale. One interesting element in this tale is the ritual of hospitality. Neither king feels able to kill Bellerophon because the man has dined with him at the table, and it seems that the gods would punish a king who so poorly treated a guest. The other myth that most directly concerns hospitality is Baucis and Philemon , and in both tales the moral lesson is the same: hospitality is essential to win or keep divine favor. The tale of Bellerophon also concerns a recurring theme in Greek mythology: a tragic mistake. Like Apollo, who accidentally kills Hyacinthus , Bellerophon kills his brother by mistake. It is interesting to note that the nature of the accident does not relieve him of his guilt: Bellerophon goes on his quest to achieve purity in order to win back the favor of the gods.

When pride emerges in this story, we see the disastrous effects it may have on a once heroic character. As he "devours his own soul," Bellerophon appears shockingly pathetic at the end of the story. After his amazing adventures, the gods have placed him in this state because of his egoism. The story thus serves as a warning against believing one is more than human. Conversely, the tale reveals the rewards that come with dutiful prayer to the gods. Athena steps in to essentially save Bellerophon by giving him Pegasus, and she does so precisely because the young man has prayed at her temple. The gods seldom reveal themselves to be greatly eager to help humans for the humans' own sake, but in this case it seems clear that praying to her increased Bellerophon's chances. Finally, the story of Bellerophon illustrates the important theme of loyalty. As soon as they team up, Pegasus is Bellerophon's dutiful beast and best friend. Like Prometheus and Io , the two make a connection that goes far beyond the differences in their natures. Although ultimately Pegasus (like the gods) rejects Bellerophon because of his egoism, the relationship illustrates the power and value of loyalty.

Pegasus The Flying Horse And Bellerophon « Tags: Bellerophon , constellations , Gorgons , Greek Mythology , Medusa , Mount Olympus , Pegasus , Zeus Pegasus has always fascinated me. Pegasus is seen in lots of art work and used in many poems. He is one of the most famous myths in Greek Mythology. Read the history of Pegasus and enjoy it as much I have enjoyed writing this piece. Pegasus is from Greek Mythology and belonged to Bellerophon. This beautiful wing horse was born from the blood that was spilled from the Queen of the Gorgons Medusa. She and Poseidon the God of all waters mated and she was already pregnant by him when Perseus cut here head clean off her shoulders. Pegasus also had a brother that sprung from the blood of Medusa. He was called Chrysaor and was described as a winged Boar. Both creatures were born fully grown from the blood of Medusa. Bellerophon tamed this beast by using the magic bridle that was given to him by Athena. Bellerophon was a Korinthian Hero. Bellerophon rode Pegasus into battle against the Khimaira which was a fire breather.

This was a creature that had the head and the main of a lion with a head of a goat that rose from it’s back alone with goat udders and a tail of a serpent. Bellerophon was commanded to slay this beast by King Iobates. So on the back Pegasus he took a lead tipped lance and shoved it down the throat of this fire breathing beast till it suffocated to death. Bellerophon rode Pegasus into many battles. Pegasus great speed help greatly with in the battles that he faced with Bellerophon King Iobates was trying to kill Bellerophon because Bellerophon had been wrongly accused of a crime that he did not do. The wife of the King Anteia had fallen in love with Bellerophon, but he did not return the feeling and this angered her so much that she told her husband that he had tried to rape her and forced himself upon her and that he must pay with his life for his punishment.After many quests that Bellerophon was sent on in hopes that he would be killed the king found out that this was all a mistake and so he then offered Bellerophon his second daughters hand in marriage.

After they were married for a few years Bellerophon wanted be a hero again and he was thinking that he was Son of a God. Was he the son of God Poseido? No one knows for sure but that is why he decided to go to the heavens he wanted to take his place on Mount Olympus. That was a big mistake and he should have just stayed with his wife and been happy. Bellerophon then tried to fly Pegasus to the top of Mount Olympus to see the Gods but this put the Gods and Goddess in a rage so upon the command of Zeus he sent a gadfly to sting the winged beast and then bucked Bellerophon off his back and Bellerophon fell back down to Earth where he met his death but some says he survived the fall and was badly crippled. It is said that Bellerophon was broken in his body and his spirit was broken as well and he wandered the earth blind, lame and alone. He lived the rest of his life out unhappy and no one knew him as the hero that he once was. No one knows where or the date of his death. This is just one of the many stories that tells of what happen to him.

There are many different stories of how Zeus caused Pegasus to buck Bellerophon off. Some says that Pegasus was very wise knew what would happen to his owner and bucked him off himself. Another is that because Zeus was so upset that Bellerophon tried to get to the heaven that he sent a lighting bolt down and stunned Pegasus to cause him to ditch Bellerophon. Pegasus flew his way up to the top of Mount Olympus where Zeus gave him a home in a stable there. Pegasus was allowed to roam Mount Olympus and had his freedom. He wander the meadows and springs and mountain on earth. In later life Pegasus took Euippe (or Ocyrrhoe) as a mate and together they was said to have two children Celeris and Melanippe. Because Pegasus was so loyal to The Lord Zeus and carried Zeus lighting bolts for him and did his bidding he was rewarded greatly. Pegasus was placed among the stars as a constellation and as he was placed among the stars a single feather was said to have fallen to the earth near a Tarsus city.

It has been said that Pegasus made the spring of Hippocrene on Mount Helicon (which means the Horse Spring.) Another was at Troezen where he was drinking from it’s waters when he was caught by Bellerophon. These springs were made by the thrust of Pegasus hoof pounding the earth’s surface. It is said that every time his hooves would strike the earths surface a spring would emerge from the impact. That is some impact of a horses step. So when it is a clear night and the stars are shining bright look up in the sky and look for the constellation Pegasus it is very beautiful. Just look in the northern sky for it. It is one of the very first out of the first 48 constellations that was listed in the 2nd century by the well known astronomer Ptolemy. And today it is still one of the 88 constellations that we see today. Written By Tasha Slone copy right 2010 all rights reserved no parts of this story may be used with out permission Bellerophon Bellerophon See More Bellerophon Pictures > Bellerophon provides a lesson in the proper relationship between a mortal hero and the gods.

When he was young he honored the gods and won their favor, but eventually his pride got the better of him and led to his downfall. Bellerophon was the son of Poseidon and Eurynome , wife of Glaucus . He was raised by Glaucus who thought Bellerophon was his own son. Considering that both Poseidon and Glaucus were interested in horses, it is not surprising that Bellerophon quested after Pegasus . After many failures, he asked the seer Polyeidus for help. Following Polyeidus' instructions, he spent the night in a temple of Athena . There, he had a dream that the goddess offered him a magical, golden bridle. He awoke and found the bridle he dreamt about in his hands. He sensibly made a sacrifice to both Athena and Poseidon . Afterwards, he went to the meadow Pegasus was grazing at, and was able to bridle and tame the horse without difficulty. Triumphant in his success, he went to King Pittheus and received permission to marry his daughter Aethra . However, before the marriage, he accidentally killed a man, possibly one of his brothers, and was banished.

He went to King Proetus to be excused for his crime. The king pardoned him, but during his stay at Proetus 's house, the King's wife, Stheneboea , attempted to seduce him. As an honorable man Bellerophon rejected her advances. This infuriated Stheneboea who then falsely accused him of attempting to seduce her. Greatly upset, Proetus wanted to be rid of Bellerophon without having to accuse him publicly. He was also concerned about harming a house guest, as this was an offence to the gods. So, he sent Bellerophon to deliver a sealed message to his wife's father, King Iobates . Arriving on Pegasus , Bellerophon was warmly received and settled in as Iobates ' house guest. Iobates unsealed and read the message thus learning of Stheneboea 's accusations against Bellerophon . This left Iobates in the same predicament of acting against a guest that had troubled Proetus . Iobates ' solution was to ask Bellerophon to undertake a series of heroic, but deadly tasks.

However, Bellerophon 's courage and skill as an archer, combined with Pegasus ' help, allowed him to prevail. In addition, his parentage, his sacrifices, and his acts of honour gave him the favour of the gods. His first task was to kill the terrible Chimaera . Succeeding, he was sent to conquer the neighbouring Solymi tribe, which was Iobates ' traditional enemy. When he defeated them, the King sent him to fight the Amazons . He was again victorious. In desperation, Iobates led an ambush against Bellerophon using his entire army; the army was killed to the last man. At this point, Iobates had the wisdom to notice that something was very wrong. He realized that the gods favoured Bellerophon and that this favor would not have been given to a dishonorable house guest. Iobates succeed in making amends by giving Bellerophon half his kingdom, including the best farmlands and his daughter Philonoe in marriage. There are two stories concerning the fate of Stheneboea . One says that Bellerophon extracted revenge by taking her for a ride on Pegasus , then shoving her off to fall to her death.

In the other version, Stheneboea hears that Bellerophon has married her sister. She knows that this means her slander would be revealed and chose to kill herself. It appeared that Bellerophon would live happily ever after. His glorious deeds were widely sung. He was happily married. Philonoe bore him two sons, Isander and Hippolochus, and two daughters, Laodameia and Deidameia. As a king his subjects loved and honored him. However, this was not enough for Bellerophon . In his arrogance, he decided that he could ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus and visit the gods. Zeus quickly put an end to his trip by sending the gadfly to sting Pegasus and dismount Bellerophon . He survived his fall, but was crippled. He spent the rest of his life wandering the earth. No man would help him because of his offense to the gods. He died alone with no one to record his fate.

Pegasus (mythology) facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Pegasus (mythology) Myths and Legends of the World COPYRIGHT 2001 Macmillan Reference, USA Pegasus A winged horse in Greek mythology, Pegasus was supposedly the offspring of the sea god Poseidon and the Gorgon Medusa. According to legend, Pegasus was born from the blood that spurted from Medusa's neck when the hero Perseus killed her. Pegasus served Perseus until his death and afterward went to the home of the Muses. The water that gave the Muses their inspiration had dried up, so Pegasus stamped his hoof and created a spring. Gorgon one of three ugly monsters who had snakes for hair, staring eyes, and huge wings Muse one of nine sister goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences With the help of the goddess Athena*, the hero Bellerophon later tamed Pegasus and rode the horse when he slew the monster called the Chimaera. Later Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasus to the top of Mount Olympus* so that he could join the Greek gods.

However, Zeus* caused a fly to bite Pegasus, and the horse threw Bellerophon to earth, crippling him for life. See also Bellerophon; Medusa; Muses; Perseus. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. MLA Bellerophon and Pegasus Bellerophon and Pegasus Have you missed the first part of the story of Bellerophon and Pegasus? Click here. Bellerophon was pleased to show what a valiant hero he was... but he needed a special horse for such a special enterprise. He thought the most appropriate one was Pegasus, the winged horse. A wise man and a seer, Polyeidus (or Polyidus), told him to bring gifts to Athena’s temple and sleep there for one night. In his dream, Bellerophon saw goddess Athena who brought him a golden bridle. When he woke up in the morning, he found the golden bridle next to him. He took it and went to the well Pirene, where Pegasus would come and drink. The hero managed to harness the horse and to get on his back, and ever since Bellerophon and Pegasus were inseparable.

So off they went to kill the Chimera. But each time the hero would shoot his arrows, the fire breath would just melt them and transform them into match sticks. So how did Bellerophon slay the Chimera? He had a brilliant idea: he attached a lump of lead to his spear and threw it into the monster’s mouth. Chimera’s fire made the lead melt, and it went down its throat, killing it. Detail of the Hinton St. Mary Mosaic with a roundel of Bellerophon slaying the Chimera, c.350 AD Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com You can imagine Iobates disappointment when he saw Bellerophon and Pegasus come back. He still wanted to do what he had been asked, so he sent the hero to fight against the enemy tribe of the Solymi. Bellerophon managed to kill them all and to come back, so Iobates sent him to fight against the Amazons. Needless to say, he came back successful again. When the king saw that nothing worked, he gathered an army of Lycians and told them to ambush Bellerophon. Guess what? The hero killed them all (sort of Van Damme).

At his point, Iobates had to acknowledge the fact that Bellerophon was protected by the gods, so maybe he wasn’t guilty of the accusations after all. That’s why the king gave up his attempts of killing the hero and gave him in marriage his daughter, Philonoe. Later, he also showed him the incriminating letter. The hero decided to go back to Tyrins and prove his innocence. When Stheneboea saw Bellerophon and Pegasus arrive, she knew she was in trouble. Some say Bellerophon took her for a ride on Pegasus and pushed her from the horse, into the sea (but this is not a nice thing to do for a hero). Some others say she stole the winged horse and tried to flee, but Pegasus threw her into the sea. Others yet say she committed suicide when she found out that her sister was going to marry Bellerophon (this time, Pegasus and Bellerophon had nothing to do with her death). Piercing Bellerophon Mounted on a Pegasus Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com After so many adventures with his horse, Bellerophon was praised by everyone and he became very arrogant.

One day he decided to go on his horse directly to the gods’ residence, on Mount Olympus. So Bellerophon and Pegasus left for their last adventure together, but they didn’t get vey far. Zeus was angry for this act of arrogance and sent a gadfly that stung the horse. Bellerophon was thrown to the ground and Pegasus returned to heaven. The hero didn’t die, but he was crippled, and he spent the rest of his life wandering alone, as everyone now avoided him. For the ancient Greeks, the hubrys , the fact of being exaggerately proud or self-confident, was a sin, that’s why no one wanted to approach a person who had been punished for this. And so a great hero finished his life in misery, because of his unatural pride. Offspring: - with Philonoe: two sons, Isander and Hippolochus, and two daughters, Laodameia and Deidameia Not exactly what you were looking for? Keep on searching! Custom Search

Question: In mythology, which winged horse did Bellerophon ride?
Answer: PEGASUS